Foot support and method of making



Jan. 12, 1954 J. BAER 2,665,505

FOOT SUPPORT AND METHOD OF MAKING Filed Oct. 22, 1951 2 ShEets-Sheet 1duL/us BHEI? BY H/S ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 12, 1954 J. BAER 2,665,505

FOOT SUPPORT AND METHOD OF MAKING Filed Oct. 22, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2hvvsrvroe. duuus 5915/? BY HIS BTTOR/ViYS. HA was, K/EcH, Fos TEI? &HQRR/s 6v Patented Jan. 12, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOTSUPPORT AND METHOD OF MAKING Julius Baer, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Application October ,22, 1951, Serial No. 252,464

7 Claims.

1 The present invention relates in general to foot supports for use'inshoes and, more particularly, to a self-contained foot support which maybe inserted into or removed from the shoe readily.

Still more particularly, the invention relates to a resilient cushioningsupport generally similar in character to a removable insole and adaptedto cushion and support a substantial portion of the wearers foot.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a resilient cushioningsupport having a sole portion and a lateral tab portion which curvesupwardly and outwardly from the inner edge of the sole portion and whichlies against the inner vamp of the shoe when the support is insertedtherein, this lateral tab portion being disposed between the inner vampof the shoe and the inside of the wearers foot adjacent the innerlonitudinal arch of the foot when in use so that it provides somesupport for the inner longitudinal arch. Preferably, the sole portion ofthe support extends from the heel at least substantially to the ball ofthe foot so as to provide a resilient cushioning action for thoseportions of the foot which bear most of the wearers weight.

An important object of the invention is to provide such a foot supportwhich is of laminated construction and which includes at least threelayers each of uniform thickness, the desired shape being attained byshaping the entire support, and not by shaping any one of the layersindividually.

More particularly, an important object of the invention is to provide afoot support which includes an intermediate layer of cushioningmaterial, such as foam or sponge rubber, for example, disposed betweenand completely enveloped by upper and lower enveloping layers, the upperand lower layers being provided with peripheral margins which extendbeyond the periphery of the intermediate layer and which are securedtogether so as to confine the intermediate layer to a predeterminedvolume to prevent extrusion thereof under the wearers weight. Confiningthe intermediate layer in this manner to prevent extrusion thereof,particularly at the edges, insures maintenance of the desired cushioningand supporting action at all times and contributes materially to thelife of the support, which are important features.

Preferably, in addition to securing the peripheral margins of the upperand lower layers together, I secure the central portions of at least oneof the upper and lower layers to the intermediate layer as well toprevent extrusion of the intermediate, cushioning layer from one part ofthe envelope formed by the upper and lower layers to the other, therebyinsuring maintenance of the desired cushioning action despite loadsimposed on the cushioning layer by the weight of the wearer. Althoughthe peripheral margins of the upper and lower layers may be securedtogether in other ways, I prefer to secure them together with a suitableadhesive, the same being true of the means of securing the centralportions of the upper and lower layers to the intermediate, cushioninglayer.

An important object of the invention is to curve the lateral tabportions of the upper, intermedi ate and lower layers upwardly beforesecuring the layers together sothat slippage occurs between the layersto make the width of that portion of the upper layer which is'incontact'with the lower less than the width of the lower layer.Consequently, when the force applied to the lateral tab portions tocurve them upwardly is released after securing the layers together, theupper layer is placed in tension and the lower layer in compression tomaintain the desired upward curvature of the lateral tab portions. Thus,it is unnecessary to mold the support with the application of heat, orthe like, only a simple forming operation being required, which is avery important feature of the invention.

Thus, the method of the invention involves taking the upper,intermediate and lower layers and placing them in a mold in superimposedrelation, the contacting surfaces preferably havin been coated with anadhesive material previously. The mold is then closed to impart thedesired configuration to the support, slippage occurring between thelayers to permit the support to attain the desired configuration.Thereafter, pressure is applied to cause the adhesive to firmly securethe layers together, whereupon the support retains its desiredconfiguration when removed from the mold, the upper layer being intension in the vicinity of the junction of the lateral tab portion withthe sole portion and the lower layer being in compression in thatvicinity. Preferably, the support is rendered convex upwardly in thedirection of the longitudinal axis of the support at the same time so asto match the longitudinal upward convexity of the shoe. The provision ofsuch a method is an important object of the invention.

Another object is to provide a mold for forming the support into thedesired configuration, the mold'having means for curving the support andhaving means for applying pressure to cause the adhesive to secure thelayers together. Preferably, the mold comprises two complementary moldelements one of which is provided with means for securing the layersforming thesupport in position until the mold is closed.

The invention provides a support which may be manufactured very cheaplyso that a pair of the supports may be sold to the customer with a pairof shoes without a significant increase in the price of the shoes, whichis an important fea ture of the invention.

The foregoing objects and advantages of the invention, together withvarious other objects and advantages which will become apparent, may beattained with the exemplaryembodiments of arch of'the foot. "provided inthis area of the foot, as well as U the invention described in detailhereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of the three layers of the support side by sideshowing the relative dimensions of the three layers;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the three layers of the supportarranged in superimposed, but

spaced, relation; w t

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a mold for forming the support, the mold beingshown open;

Fig 4 is a transverse sectional view through the 'in'O'ld showing themold in partially closed position; v v

Fig. 5 is a 'view similar to 4 but showing the mold in completely closedposition;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the mold-taken along the arrowed line6-'-'% of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the finished foot support; and V v Fig.'8 a sectional view through the finished support taken along the arrowedline 3-3 of Fig. '7.

Referring first'to Figs. '1 and a of the drawings wherein the finishedsupport is illustrated, the 'suppdainauaes a'sole portic'n'iil having anouter edge H and'an mneredge l2 and includes a lateral tab portion 33which is integral with the sole portion and which curves upwardly andoutwardly from the inner edge 52 of the sole portion. Ihe sole portionit includes a heel section I l contoured to fit into t. e heel of theshoe, and includes a forward, instep section is similarly contouredtofit into the shoe, the extreme forward end section it of the soleportion id diverging laterally to fit into the diverging portion of theshoe forward of the instep portion thereof. In the particularconstruction illustrated, a shoulder H is provided on the outer edge iiof the sole portion at the junction of the heel section M with theinstep section i5, and a similar shoulder i8 is formed at thejunction ofthe forward ens-or the lateral tab portion 3 with the sole portion 19along the inner edge E2 of the sole portion.

When the support is inserted into a shoe, the foregoing sections of thesole portion it fit into the corresponding portions of the shoe and thelateral tab portion it lies against the inner vamp of thejsh'oe so thatit is disposed between the inner vamp of the shoe and the inside of the'wearers foot adjacent the inner longitudinal Thus, a cushioning effectis under the heel and instep. Also, as best shown inFig. 8, a section 19of the support in the vicinity of the junction of the sole portion iswith the lateraltah portion it provides a cushioning support to someextent for the inner longitudinal arch of the foot.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the foot support isformed of an upper layer 2!, at least one intermediate layer 22 and alower layer 23. The intermediate layer is formed of a resilientcushioning material of any suitable type, such as foam or sponge rubber,for example.

Any suitable materials may be employed for the 7 upper and lower layers2! and 23. For example, the upper layer 2} may be formed of fabrichaving a smooth coating of plastic material on its upper surface tominimize any tendency of the upper layer to stick to the foot, sock orstocking ,ofthe wearer. As another example, the lower [layer 23 may beformed of felted material with *1 fabrichase for reinforcement, thepurpose-of the felted material being to increase the coefiicient offriction between the lower layer and the insole of the shoe to minimizeslippage therebetween. However, any other suitable materials may beemployed for these layers, and it will be understood that 1 do notintend to be limited to the exemplary ma erials discussed above.

The upper, intermediate and lower layers 2!, 22' and 23 are preferablycut from sheets, not shown, of the respective materials employedtherefor into configurations corresponding to the configuration of thecompleted support, the upper layer having sole and lateral "tab portions24 and 25, the intermediate layer having sole and lateral tab portions25 and 2'1, and the lower layer having sole and lateral tab portions 28and 29. The various sole portions of the layers include sectionscorresponding to those of the completed support which were discussedpreviously and it is thought unnecessary to apply reference charactersthereto.

The upper and lower layers '21 and 23 are of the same shape and are ofsubstantially the same size, the upper layer '2! being slightly longerso that, as best shown in Fig. 7, the forward end thereof extends beyondthe forward endof the lower layer. This avoids a sudden drop off tothe'insole of the shoe at the forward end of the foot support, which isan important feature since it prevents development of undue pressureagainst anyone area of the foot at the front end of the support. Asclearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the configuration of the intermediatelayer Z2 is substantially the same as those -of the upper and lowerlayers 2! and 2-3;but the intermediate layer is smaller in all of itsdimensions so that the upper and lower layers are provided withperipheral margins extending entirely therearound and :extending beyondthe edges ci'the intermediate layer. These peripheral margins of theupper and lower layers are shown in Figs. '7 and 8 and are'securedtogether in a manner to be described so as to completely envelop theintermediate layer, thereby preventing extrusion of the intermediatelayer under load, as hereinbeforediscussed in detail, which is animportant feature of the invention.

The preferred method of securing the layers 2i to '23 together is by'theuse of a pressuresensitive adhesive material, such as latex, which inconnection with the method of the invention'a's heretofore-explained is'a typical'material suitably adapted t0 cause adherence ofthe-superimposed layers upon the application of pressure. Preferably,the sheet materials from which the respective layers are formed arecoated with an adhesive material. I also prefer to employ adhesivematerial coatings which-will adhere only to other such coatings, and notto an uncoated material, although'this is not essential.

"As best shown in'Fig. 2, in the particular construction illustrated,the lower surface of the upper layer 25, the upper surface of theintermediate layer 22 the upper surface of the lower layer are providedwith such adhesive coatings, respectivelyidentified by the -numerals 3!,32 and 33. If desired, an additional adhesive coating may be applied :tothe lower surface'of the intermediate layer 22; Thus, 'whenthe threelayers are assembled and pressure is applied thereto,'the upper layer 2!will adhere to the intermediate layer 22, and the marginal portions orperipheral margins of theupper'and lower layers 2! and 23 willadhe're'together, thereby completely'enveloping the intermediate layerand anchoring it against movement or significantextrusion.

The manner in which the three layers 2!, 22 and 23 are assembled andshaped to provide the final configuration of the completed support willnow be considered in detail with particular reference to Figs. 3 to 6 ofthe drawings, wherein a mold for securing the layers together andshaping them into the desired configuration is shown.

The mold illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6 includes a base 4i} carrying anupright post 4| and mounted on the base is a stationary mold element 42.This mold element is curved longitudinally, as best shown in Fig. 6, toconform to the longitudinal curvature of a shoe in which the footsupport is to be used, this longitudinal curvature be ing exaggerated tocompensate for springback of the foot support when it is removed fromthe mold. As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the stationary mold element 32is provided with a substantially vertical shoulder 43 which is connectedto the top surface 34 of the mold element 32 by a curved surface 55. Theshoulder 43 and the curved surface produce the upwardly and outwardlycurving lateral tab portion Q3 of the foot support, the degree of upwardcurvature being greater than that desired for the upward curvature ofthe lateral tab portion E3 to compensate for springback when the footsupport is removed from the mold.

As best shown in Fig. 3, of the drawings, the three layers 2i to 23 areplaced on the top surface 44 of the stationary mold element 12 with thelateral tab portions 25, 2'! and 29 of the layers lying against theshoulder 43 and the curved surface 55. The layers 2! to '23 may eitherbe placed in position, as shown in Fig. 3, one at a time, or they may bepreassembled and placed in position as a unit. If the layers arepreassembled, they may be tacked together lightly by applying pressurethereto at, for example, two points to cause the adhesive coatings 3! to33 to secure them together lightly. Preferably, the layers 2! to 23 arenot tacked together in the areas of the lateral tab portions 25, 21 and29 if this preassembling procedure is followed so that the variouslateral tab portions of the layers may slip relative to each otherfreely when the mold is closed in a manner to be described.

In order to hold the assembled layers 2! to 23 in position, the forwardends thereof are inserted under a finger 65 carried by the stationarymold element :22. The rearward ends of the assembled layers 2i to 23 areseated against a peg 4? carried by the stationary mold element. peg 48carried by the stationary mold element bears against the. forward end ofthe upper layer 2|, which is slightly longer than the lower layer 23 ashereinbefore discussed, adjacent the outer edge of the foot support.Another peg 49 carried by the stationary mold element 42 fits into thenotch forming the shoulder i! of the foot support, and additional pegs56 carried by the stationary mold element between the pegs d8 and' llare engageable by the outer edge ll of the foot support. Thus, theassembledlayers 21 to 23 forming the foot support are securely held inplace relative to the stationary mold element $2. The stationary moldelement is also provided with a socket 5! for a compression spring 52which is engageable by a movable mold element 55 and which tends toseparate the movable mold element from the stationary mold element, themovable mold element being shown as hinged to the stationary moldelement at 56 in the particular construction illustrated.- The movableAnother cesses therein to receive the finger 46 and pegs il to 50, eachof. these recesses being designated by the reference numeral 51. Themovable mold.

element 55 is also provided with a ridge 58 con-- forming in shapeandsize to and adapted to engage the peripheral margin of the upper layer2! so as to press it firmly into engagement with the peripheral marginof the lower layer 23 when the mold is closed. A lever 59 pivoted to thepost t! at as and carrying a block Bl engageable with the movable moldelement 55 is adapted to apply pressure to the layers 21 to 23 to securethem together when the mold is closed.

Considering the eifect of the forming operation performed by the mold onthe layers 2| to 23, when the mold is closed, slippage occurs betweenthe lateral tab portions 25, 21 and 29 of the three layers, as shown inFigs. 4 and 5, as a result of the upward curvature of the tab por tionswhich is produced by the mold. Subse quently, when pressure is appliedby the lever 59, the layers 2! to 23 are secured together with thelateral tab portions thereof in this slipped condition, the coatings 3!and 33 serving to secure the marginal portions of the upper and lowerlayers together and the coatings 3i and 32 serving to secure theintermediate layer 22 firmly to the upper layer 2|.

Subsequently, when the completed foot sup port is removed from the mold,the lateral tab portion 25 of the upper layer 2| is placed in tensionand the lateral tab portion 29 of the lower layer 23 is placed incompression to maintain the curvature applied by the mold, less thespringback that occurs upon removal from the mold. Consequently, thelateral tab portion I3 of the finished foot support is curved upwardlyand outwardly from the inner, edge i2 of thefoot support as shown inFigs. 7 and 8, and this curvature is maintained by the lateral tabportions 25 and 29 of the upper and lower layers 2| and 23, andprimarily by the lateral tab portion 25 of the upper layer 2| which, asdiscussed, is in tension.

It will be noted that the edge of the lateral tab portion 29 of thelower layer 23 is displaced inwardly of the edge of the lateral tabportion 25 of the upper layer 21 as a result of the foregoing slippage.This has the effect of feathering the edge of the lateral tab portion [3of the finished support in much the same manner as the forward end ofthe finished support is feathered by making the upper layer 2i slightlylonger than the lower layer 23. Feathering the forward end of thesupport and the edge of the lateral tab portion 53 thereof in thismanner avoids thick edges which might be uncomfortable, which is animportant feature.

During the molding operation, the longitudinal curvature of the moldcavity between the mold elements E2 and 55 produces longitudinalcurvature in the finished footsupport in a manner similar to that inwhich the desired upward curvature of the lateral tab portion I3 isproduced. The only difference is that, in the longitudinally curved soleportion of the finished support, it is the upper layer that is incompression and the lower layer that is in tension as a result oflongitudinal slippage of the layers during the forming operation.

Thus, 'by producing slippage between the layers to place one layer intension and another in compression, the desired configuration for thefinished foot support is produced by what aeeasozs amounts merely to aasimple :Lforming operation. as contrasted to a 'molding operationiinthexusual sense which may. require the application of heat, or the like.Thus, the :desired configuration is produced at existing temperatures-and without the application of heatpor thelike, which is :an importantfeature since it :permits the layers ii to 23 to be assembled and formedinto thefinished product with a (minimum of effort and expense.

After the foot support has been completed, it is'ready for insertioninto ashoe. "In order to prevent slippage of the ioot support relativeto the shoe after insertion, I provide thelower layer 23 with a hole 65and coat-that portion of the intermediate layer 22 which register withthe hole with an adhesive' material adaptedto adhere to the normalinsoleof the-shoe. This adhesive patch positively secures the footsupport in place.

It will be understood that various changes,

modifications and substitutions may he incorporated in the method,apparatus and product disclosed without necessarilydeparting from thespirit of'the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A foot support of resilient "cushioning material for insertion into ashoe, including a sole portion having inner and outer "edges andincluding a lateral tab portion integral with said sole portion'andcurving outwardly and upwardly from saidinner edge thereof,-said lateraltab portion being disposed between the inner vamp or 'the shoeand'the'inside'of the wearers foot adjacent the inner longitudinal arch of thefoot when in use, said support having "an upper surface adjacent thejunction of saidsoleand'lat- 'eral tab portions which'is intension-andhaving a lower surface adjacent said junction which is "incompression, Said upper and "lower surfaces being connected together-soas to maintain same in'tension and compression,respectively.

'2. ll foot support'forfinsertionmto a shoeineluding superimposed lower;intermediateand'upper layers, said intermeHiate'la-yer bein'gofresilient cushioning material, said support having asole'portioniorovidedwith' innerandouter edges andfhaving ailateraltabportion integral with edge of its sole portion, said upper and lowerlayers being of. substantially'thesame size-and .being larger than saidintermediate :layer was to provide saidupper, and lower .layerswithiperipheral margins which extend beyond the .periphery of saidintermediate layer sojthat; said .upper and lower layers completelyenvelop said intermediate layer, said intermediate-layer-being formed ofa resilienticushioning material, said intermediate layer being securedteat least one .:of said upperzandzlower:layersgand said-margins tbeingsecureditogether, saiddateral. t'abi'portions of said layers beingcurved upwardly with the edge of said lateral tab portion of said lowerlayer spaced inwardly from the edge f0 said lateral tab portion ofsaidupper layer, said upper layer being in tension in the area of thejunction of said lateral tab portion thereof with said sole portionthereof, and said lower layer being in compression in the area of thejunction of said lateral talo portion thereof and said soleportionthereof.

=4. In a foot support for insertion into a shoe, two superimposednormally flat layers of substantially the same size arranged in registryand secured together in a curved relation, said layers being curvedupwardly so that an edge of the lowermost layer is displaced inwardly ofthe corresponding edge of the uppermost layer while maintaining theopposite edges of said layers in registry to place the uppermost layerin tension and the lowermost layer in compression, and said uppermostand lowermost layer being secured together to maintain said uppermostlayer in tension and said lowermost layer in compression.

:5. A foot support for insertion into a shoe including at least twosuperimposed layers of substantially the same size each having a soleportion provided with inner and outeredges and each having a lateral tabportion integral with its sole portion-and extending laterally from saidinner edge of its sole portion, said outer'edges of said sole portionsof said layers being secured together, and said lateral tab portions ofsaid layers being secured together and being curved upwardly with theedge of said lateral tab portion of the lowermost layer spaced inwardlyfrom the edge of thelateral tab portion of the uppermost layer :tomaintain said lateraltab portion of the upipermost layer in tension andsaid lateral tab portion of the lowermost layer in compression.

6. In a foot support for insertion into a shoe, normally flat upper andlower layers of substantlally the same size arranged in registry andsecured together adjacent opposite edges in an upwardly curved relation,the width of that portion of said upper layer between its securementwith said lower layer being less than the width of thatportion of saidlower layer betweenzits securement with said upper layer to place saidupper layer in tension and said lower layer in compression, whereby tomaintain said upward curvature.

7. A method of making a foot support from superimposed flat layershaving a pressure-sensitive adhesive coatingitherebetween, each of saidlayers including registering sole portions and registering lateral tabportion integral with'the zrespective sole portions, .includingthe stepsof:

bending said tab portions upwardly relative .to the sole portions andsimultaneously producing :slippage between the tab portions; andapplying pressure to said layers to cause said adhesive coatingtherebetween to:firmlyseoure said layers together.

JULIUS BAER.

Eeierences Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED "STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 609,029 Karns Aug. 16, 1898 1,013,992 Foster Jan. 9, 19121,775,812 Church Sept. 16, 1930 1,775,957 Hassink Sept. 16,19302,163,906 Cote June 27, 1939 '.-2,184,456 Knapp-. :Dec.-26, 1939 14 1e:.::---:-::rp

